WWII veteran, grandson to earn diplomas from GNB Voc-Tech

Logan Kilanowich knew his grandfather Don Bernier wouldn't miss his high school graduation for anything. But that they would both get diplomas came as a bit of a surprise.

Curt Brown

Logan Kilanowich knew his grandfather Don Bernier wouldn't miss his high school graduation on June 4 from Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech for anything.

But that they would both get diplomas came as a bit of a surprise.

For some years now, the state has been reaching out to WWII vets who went to war before they got their diplomas. This year, the 89-year-old Bernier will be among the ranks coming back to collect his.

He and his grandson both like the idea they are graduating together.

"I think it's great," said Bernier.

"I think it's pretty cool," Kilanowich said.

The 17-year-old Kilanowich is also following the same path in life that his grandfather took as a young man.

In August, Kilanowich is joining the U.S. Navy, just as his grandfather did in 1941. He's also the same age as Bernier was when he left to fight in World War II — before completing his education at the old New Bedford Vocational High School.

Kilanowich said his grandfather influenced his decision to join the Navy. "It was between the Navy and the Air Force and I grew up with his Navy background and it appealed to me more," he said.

Kilanowich has enlisted for four years and wants to take advantage of the military's education benefits and the Civil Service preference for veterans when he applies for a job as a firefighter after he is out of the Navy.

He is studying electrical technology at GNB Voc-Tech and will be trained as an communication electrician. He also hopes to do some traveling aboard a ship, compliments of the Navy.

The two have been close for many years, according to Beth Kilanowich, Logan's mother and Bernier's daughter.

Bernier would go to his grandson's youth baseball, soccer and basketball games and Logan would accompany his grandfather when he decorated veterans' graves for Memorial Day and Veterans Day in New Bedford.

And Bernier would always tell him about his days in the military and aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hornet as a gunner's mate fighting the Japanese in the Pacific, Logan said.

"I think it's a good thing for a young guy to go and get in some action," Bernier said.

But while they are following similar paths in their lives, their reasons for enlisting in the Navy are very different.

Bernier said he was living on Roosevelt Street in New Bedford when he and several of his buddies decided to enlist.

"It was a big thing," he said, explaining he joined right after Pearl Harbor. Bernier served in World War II for four years, including a lengthy assignment aboard the Hornet.

Upon his return home, Bernier worked for many years as a plumber and later a plumbing inspector for the City of New Bedford, retiring as the head of the city's Plumbing Department at age 74. He was married for 65 years to Jessie Rapoza, who died Dec. 12 at 88.

Beth Kilanowich said she is going to have mixed emotions at the twin graduations.

"Not too many people see their father and son receive their diplomas at the same time," she said. "But it's bittersweet, because how much time do I have with either of them?"